


River Of Tears

by HoneyByunnie



Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: ChanBaek - Freeform, Fluff, Happy Ending, M/M, Poet Baek, Poetry, Slice of Life, Soft chanbaek, Tattoo artist Yeol, also an OC but very brief, angst if you squint, my own poetry btw, super super fluffy, this is my first time writing on ao3, totally copyrighted
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-18
Updated: 2020-05-18
Packaged: 2021-03-02 18:29:04
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,936
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24251362
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HoneyByunnie/pseuds/HoneyByunnie
Summary: Baekhyun was the poet. Chanyeol was the tattoo artist.-from my wattpad @ baeks_hands
Relationships: Byun Baekhyun/Park Chanyeol
Comments: 13
Kudos: 32





	River Of Tears

**Author's Note:**

> wowow this is my first fanfic, and yeah i published it on wattpad but like it was a flop so :(( here ya go

Baekhyun was a self made, 25 year old best selling poet. Always wearing branded clothing, he was well off on his own and even had a decent amount of money to spare. Instagram even paid him to post. So why was he living in a cramped one-bedroom apartment directly above a boisterously annoying tattoo parlor? Kyungsoo and Minseok couldn't figure it out either.

Kyungsoo watched from the couch as the older man walked to and from the kitchen to the living room, seemingly always forgetting to bring something. Which was normal. And then Baekhyun's mouth twitched, for a split second, before going back to normal along with the faded laughter booming downstairs. That was not normal. Kyungsoo exchanged glances with Minseok.

Baekhyun finally sat down on the couch, kicking his feet up onto the table. He opened a notebook he wrote his ideas in and started flipping through pages. Midway through, he stopped and looked up, as if he just remembered something important. "Why are you guys here?"

Kyungsoo and Minseok looked at each other again, and back to the disheveled brown hair falling in Baekhyun's eyes. "We are..." Minseok started and trailed off, not able to find the fitting word. He continued staring at the younger boy, who in turn stared back blankly. "Worried," Kyungsoo completed.

"Oh?" Baekhyun's eyes widened, "why though? I'm alright." He smiled at them, and sure enough, it was the same soft and playful smile he always sported. Not a single hint of unwellness.

But still, Minseok watched hesitantly as he turned back to his book, tapping his lip with his pen. "Okay well 'worried' was not the right word," he hesitated again, but continued after Baekhyun hummed, "you seem.. out of it?"

Baekhyun didn't respond so Minseok decided to continue. "You zone out a lot, you know, more than usual."

Baekhyun was silent.

"Okay, you know what," Kyungsoo starts, "what's going on?"

Baekhyun shrugs. "Nothi-"

"Don't give me that bullshit, because you're living in a small apartment when you come from money, you're always saying no when we ask you to come partying and your- your attention is always-" the smaller man's voice was getting higher when Baekhyun's eyes looked distant again, "-elsewhere!"

The exclamation brought him back and the brunette sputtered, flustered. "Wha- no. My attention-"

"You were just distracted!" Kyungsoo was exasperated.

"No I wasn't!" Baekhyun stared wide-eyed at Kyungsoo, mostly because he was surprised at the younger man for being so uncharacteristically explosive.

"Okay, no, spill it." Kyungsoo shot him a glare and Minseok nodded, leaning forward. Baekhyun looked back and forth between the two of them and sighed, rolling his eyes. "Seriously, nothing's wrong. I'm okay."

"But we're wondering if.." Minseok paused, trying to come up with a word, which seems like something he's been doing a lot today, "you're too okay."

"What- no, I'm normal okay, god-" Baekhyun shook his head, "you guys, what are you trying to say?"

"You like someone, don't you?" Kyungsoo deadpanned.

Baekhyun spluttered again, his ears turning red. "That- okay, you're just- where- where did that even come from?"

"We passed through the tattoo parlor downstairs, dipshit," Kyungsoo rolled his eyes, "and we've known you since forever."

Minseok was nodding, "it all made sense."

Baekhyun scoffed, "I wasn't even acting weird or anything."

"Really?" Kyungsoo mocked, "you moved here. You can buy a mansion, but no, a one bedroom apartment?"

"Maybe I realized I'm spoiled."

"That never stopped you before."

"I'm growing up, Kyungsoo."

"You're a fucking baby."

"Okay stop," Minseok cuts in, "Baekhyun, spare us. Is it the one with the cotton candy hair?"

Baekhyun pursed his lips. The mole on his thumb suddenly looked interesting. Like a little chocolate chip. Maybe thats why he liked chocolate so much. But he liked strawberry more so that didn't make sense. Did he have a mole in the shape of a strawberry somewhere? Baekhyun will have to investigate next time he takes a shower.

"Baekhyun."

He finally sighed. "...his name is Chanyeol." Can't hide anything from these motherfuckers.

Kyungsoo threw his hands up, falling back onto the couch. "Finally!" Baekhyun threw his eraser at the boy, pouting. "No, not finally." And then he realized he needed that, since all the other ones he owned magically disappeared. "And give me my eraser back."

"Baek, are you doing the thing where you fall too hard?" Minseok sighed, snatching the eraser from Kyungsoo, who had no intention to give it back, and he tossed it back instead.

"I am a grown man. That was the old me."

"Like I said, you're a fucking, and I cannot stress this enough, baby." Kyungsoo rolled his eyes, "just last week you wanted to take me to the pet store to buy a tiny hat for my dog."

Baekhyun sniffled, turning the pencil in his fingers and examining it. The plastic was scratched. It's okay, Baekhyun will love it even more with it's flaws. "I was younger then."

"Baekhyun," Minseok said, and he looked up. The older man looked right into his eyes, "Be careful."

He sighed. "I will. But if shit goes to hell, I can come up with some nice ass poems."

"But that's not the point, so be careful," Kyungsoo shook his head, then grinned, his eyes squinty and cute. "But in the meantime, I should talk to him."

"No!" Baekhyun almost jumped the man and his cute eyeballs. "I didn't even talk to him yet!"

"How- what are you trying to do then, bitch?" Kyungsoo exclaimed, genuinely appalled by his best friend's decision making. But it was not out loud, it was more of a quiet exclamation.

"What do you want me to do, go up to him and say 'oh hey, I saw you while I was drunk at some bar and eavesdropped on your convo with the bartender and found out you're a tattoo artist and then I searched up all the tattoo parlors in Seoul and found yours and then moved into the room above your parlor'?"

Minseok stared at him for a bit then said, "why am I not even surprised?"

"Dude, just go and ask for a tattoo or something," Kyungsoo kicked up his feet and put them in Minseok's lap.

"Oh please, he'd faint," Minseok said.

"You guys," Baekhyun exhaled dramatically, "are mean."

"But seriously, let us talk to him," the oldest boy shrugged and Baekhyun scrunched his nose, but gave in. "Fine. But don't embarrass me."

"Don't have to. You do it yourself."

\--

It was two in the morning and Baekhyun was surrounded by crumpled up pieces of paper. He looked around himself and sighed. Then he flopped over, tossing his notebook and pencil on the ground, knowing he'd go through hell to look for them in the morning, and he rolled around. He giggled to himself, staring at the lit ceiling. His limbs were not letting him get up to turn it off, so he gave in to them.

And then the bell rang.

Who could it be? Baekhyun thought to himself, which absolute idiot is doing something other than sleeping at this appalling time (other than me)?

He grumbled and tumbled over the couch, almost tripping over his shoes. He opened the door, readying himself to groan loudly in the person's face. But the groan just went back down his throat, and down to the pit of his stomach.

"Uh, hi, I know it's late, but I'm kind of locked out of my room."

Baekhyun stared up at the cotton-candy haired fairy in front of him, positive he's losing his mind due to the lack of sleep.

Chanyeol scratched his neck awkwardly, "Um?"

"Wha," Baekhyun closed his almost drooling mouth, "Uh, yeah, sorry. It's two. Or something. I haven't slept in a while so uh- okay no, um. Did you want to come in?"

Chanyeol nodded slowly.

Baekhyun waved him in and turned around so he could step in, and then saw the mess that was his house. He practically ran forward to collect his socks and underwear and more socks and pants (god, what is the use of a closet) and then tossed them into his bedroom.

"So this is my.. couch," Baekhyun gestured vaguely to the said piece of furniture. "You can sleep here."

"Thanks," the taller man sat down slowly, as if it was a venus flytrap, and he was some fly. A really hot, tall fly.

"And um, I might not wake up early tomorrow, so you can make breakfast- I mean if you'd want to, but I just have like, one egg, and some cereal, but no milk, so you might just- well I think the cereal is pretty old too-"

"That's alright," Chanyeol smiled at him, and in the dim light from the street lamp, the former could see his dimple, "I can manage."

Baekhyun nodded slowly and stepped into his room to get an extra blanket and one of his pillows. He placed them on the couch next to the man and quietly went back into his room, closing the door, but leaving it open a crack.

He laid back on his bed, ignoring the crinkling and itching of the paper balls underneath him. He stared at the ceiling, tracing his eyes over nothing. The plane of bright white made his brain relax and blue and green spots started appearing. His breath slowed as his eyes tried chasing them, but they just disappeared again. And then reached over and grabbed his phone.

~  
On my couch, you're a stranger.

I'm laying in my bed,

And even stranger,

I'm wishing one day,

You'll stay with me.  
~  
\--

It was morning and Baekhyun was dragged out of dreamland. Well, it might not have been morning, but 'morning' to Baekhyun was whenever he woke up.

He sat up and groaned at the mess he made the night before, the indents from the paper he slept on throbbing dully. He sat there contemplating if burning the room was easier than cleaning it up. He checked his phone, and it was almost one in the afternoon, but he had nothing to do so he got up to trudge to the bathroom.

Chanyeol.

Somehow the name had popped into his mind, and Baekhyun was wide awake now, running towards the living room and stumbling because of his groggy limbs. He searched the place, saw the blanket he had lent folded neatly on the couch, but no sign of the fluffy hair or the black hoodie Chanyeol was wearing. He deflated again, about to turn around to go to the bathroom, when something on the kitchen counter caught his eye.

He walked over, stepping over the mess he didn't clean up yesterday. Or a few hours ago. There was coffee and a croissant, both now cold. And a post-it note.

"Thanks for last night," Baekhyun read out loud, "Chanyeol. With a smiley face. Ugh, he's so cute."

His gushing was interrupted when his phone rang and he rolled his eyes when he saw it was Minseok, knowing what he called for. "Yes?"

"Don't 'yes' me," he sounded exasperated. "What is this about strangers on couches and wanting them to stay?"

"It's called Instagram Poetry, I do this for a living," Baekhyun bit into the cold croissant, scrunching his nose as the flakes fell.

"You know what I mean. Who was it?"

"Why does it have to be real? What if I just felt like writing it?"

"Because you were on a writers block yesterday and it magically cleared up after we talked to your crush," Baekhyun could hear him rolling his eyes.

"Okay so he crashed on my couch last night," he shrugged, "so what?"

"You can't just-" Minseok sighs, "did he say why? And are you eating something?"

"He left me a croissant," Baekhyun giggled, "he's so sweet. And he said he was locked out. Actually that kind of sounds weird now that I think about it, but I'm not dead right now so I think it's good, right?"

"...no... it's not."

"Okay fine, mom," Baekhyun rolled his eyes, "I'll ask him after I finally brush my teeth, which the world is not letting me do today."

\--

"I don't have to ask him. He could have stabbed me and I'd have thanked him."

Baekhyun was standing in the middle of the stairs. He was halfway down, and then realized he was about to exchange verbal communication with the cutest guy on the planet. He proceeded to argue with himself, and finally came to a conclusion that he'd confront Chanyeol when he was alone.

And it sounded pretty alone downstairs.

Baekhyun cursed his decision making skills for not coming up with a better excuse and tiptoed down the steps. He peeked inside the flashy parlor, not noticing Chanyeol at first. He looked at the pictures and fancy fonts, and then the big leather chair. A very scary looking leather chair with a very scary looking sharp thingie on the cart next to it.

"Hey."

Baekhyun looked to see Chanyeol already looking at him with that adorable smile on his face, all teeth. "Hey, um, I just woke up and had the croissant and coffee. Thanks."

Chanyeol nodded, "yeah, sure." He went back to cleaning dusty shelves. Baekhyun watched him awkwardly, trying to muster up the courage to talk to him about the reason he's actually there.

"Did you need something else?"

"U-um, yeah I was just.." Baekhyun panicked inwardly. How does one phrase it? It would be too direct to just ask why he was there. He could try a more subtle approach; 'did you perhaps sleep over randomly to map out my room for when you intend to murder me?' God, Chanyeol would run out of there so fast. Shit, shit, he's waiting- "I was thinking of getting a tattoo."

Fuck. Baekhyun fucked up. He fucked the fucking fuck up. Fucking motherfucking fuck.

"Oh!" Chanyeol exclaimed, the pleased smile he gave almost made Baekhyun not hesitate. Almost. "okay, then sit down and I'll be back in a bit."

Baekhyun nodded and forced his own smile so the pink-blue head couldn't see his legs shaking. He probably couldn't even see them if he wanted too, they were practically vibrating. He sat down on the aforementioned big scary leather chair and eyed the scary pointy thingie.

Chanyeol came back in with latex gloves on and some cotton. He pulled up a seat and sat down next to Baekhyun. "So, do you know what you want?"

He didn't. And he didn't know why he was still going through with this either. "Um, no, not yet."

Chanyeol nodded, "okay, maybe I can help? What are you into?"

"I write poetry?"

"Oh that could work then!" Chanyeol broke into the biggest smile and Baekhyun could swear his heart did a triple backflip. "Maybe there's a phrase you like, or..?"

Baekhyun thought. He wanted to think longer so Chanyeol could leave and he could run away, far away from the big needle, but he decided not to. Again, fuck his decision making skills. "Well, there's one I really like. 'You shine like the stars, you light up my heart."

The taller boy made a sound of interest, "that's really nice. Should I do it in cursive?"

"Ooh, and maybe put some tiny stars around it?" Baekhyun scoffed inside. Tiny stars? More pain? Are you actually stupid, Baekhyun?

\--

"You did what?!" Minseok and Kyungsoo said it at the same time. Baekhyun thought if they gave him a heads up, he could've harmonized with them too. Vocal legends.

"I panicked, okay, I needed more time!" Baekhyun was laying on his back with his shirt off, trying not to move so the skin on his side won't scream in pain.

"Time to do what?!" Minseok practically yelled.

"To panic??" Baekhyun groaned, "can we please just focus on my poor self?"

"Wait, show us the tattoo." Baekhyun lifted his phone and pointed the front camera to the side of his rib cage. "Wow, only you'd choose a tattoo with words," Kyungsoo laughed.

"It's cute!" Baekhyun defended, but then hissed when his skn stretched, "and painful."

"You couldn't have gotten a piercing? Or something that you don't have to be entirely sure of to get?"

"Like a child?"

"Shut up, Kyungsoo, let's not bring in your daddy issues into everything."

"You know what, I hope your tattoo gets infected and seeps inside your bones so they become black."

"That can happen?!" Baekhyun screeched, eyes wide.

"No it can't," once again, the eldest interjected, "both of you shut up. Baek, are you sure you're okay with it?"

"It's not like he has a choice." Kyungsoo's voice came as if he was far away from the phone.

Baekhyun rolled his eyes, "Yes. I like it. I've always secretly wanted a tattoo, but it would hurt, you know?"

"Whatever you keep telling yourself," he heard Kyungsoo snicker.

"But you never told me what you guys talked to him about," the brunette said, examining his nails.

"Nothing really," Minseok said, "we just told him we're your friends and that his tattoo parlor looked cool."

"And then I locked his room after he told us which one it is."

Silence.

"I'm sorry, what?" Baekhyun was mortified, "Why would he even tell you- how did you even get in?!"

"I didn't know about this!" Minseok was properly screaming now, probably scaring his cat.

Kyungsoo laughed, "He was telling us casually where he lived, and he keeps his door open, so."

"Kyungsoo you can't do that!" Minseok was probably pinching the bridge of his nose.

"He wasn't going to start anything, and we couldn't have either with that five minute conversation," he defended himself. And then he winced, "I just didn't think this clown'd go and get a tattoo.

Baekhyun was white as a sheet. "I could kill you," his voice came out a whisper.

"Sure, after you name your third kid after me."

\--

Baekhyun decided to try something new today. He turned his TV on and pulled out some cans of beer from his fridge. He flipped through the channels and found a movie he thought he'd like, and then sat down. The time was 9:45 PM and Baekhyun thought he could try to go to sleep earlier today.

The plan was to empty all the cans while watching the movie, and slowly drift off to sleep. So Baekhyun picked up a can, gripped the tab with his index finger and thumb, then- pop!

His eyes widened but could focus on nothing in the darkness. He realized the power went out. Baekhyun groaned and leaned back into the sofa, taking a sip. And then a gulp. And then he drank the whole thing without stopping for air.

He grabbed another can and decided to go downstairs to see if it was something wrong with the fuse. It was dark in the hallway and staircase so he stumbled downstairs with his hand gripping the railing and the other gripping the beer, feet carefully reaching out and searching the bottom step, stepping onto it after tapping it a few times.

When he got downstairs, he found that the whole area was pitch black, and he couldn't tell where the lobby would be, where Chanyeol's parlor would be, or where the wall would be. He reached out and placed his hand on the wall so he could follow it. And he would have followed it, if he knew where the fuse box was in the first place.

So he just stood there, growing hyperaware of everything around him. The hairs on the back of his neck stood on their ends, and he heard shuffling in the distance, which would normally be blocked by the sound of the tv's, music, or loud talking.

Baekhyun has seen horror movies. Those were all Minseok made them watch when it was his turn to pick the movie. And the whole time, Minseok would watch like it was the most casual rom com while the other two screamed their lungs out.

His body grew hot and sweaty, trying so hard not to move, trying to avoid making any noise whatsoever, so he could hear everything around him. He knew about the classic "turn the lights off and kill everybody" trick. So he practically shit himself when he felt fingers touch the hand he had on the wall. He didn't though, he just screamed. He did not want to discuss the pitch of it, but if you must know, he could have been prouder of it.

"Shit, I'm so sorry, it's Chanyeol." He shut up immediately when he heard the former's familiar deep voice and turned so red in the dark, he thought he might start glowing. "Sorry, you scared me."

"Baekhyun? Is that you?" Baekhyun felt the warm hand on his arm and took his own off the wall, holding onto Chanyeol's arm instead. Baekhyun just hoped didn't notice how deliberately he squeezed his forearm. "Yeah it's me. What happened?"

"Black out? I think it's just our neighborhood though," Chanyeol seemed to be looking around when he spoke that time.

"So.. what now?"

"We could... go somewhere?" All of a sudden, Baekhyun felt a sense of suffocation, and he didn't know if it was that the air conditioning stopped working or the stifling tension that seemed to have come out of nowhere.

The pitch black darkness made Baekhyun feel like he was in a void, like he could reach his arm out and his hand wouldn't hit the wall. And Chanyeol was right there, under his hand, and he could hear his breath in the dark staircase.

"Well, I can't go out tonight. I've barely slept since a month. Maybe, um.." Baekhyun said it but couldn't finish, hoping that Chanyeol would do it instead. What are the chances? He's a stranger who has slept on his couch, left him breakfast, gave him a tattoo, it would be like a thirty percent chance? Well Minseok and Kyungsoo also talked to him, but would that even-

"What about my place?"

Wow, he doesn't even know how perfect that is. "Sure."

"I mean, no offense, but your place is kind of..." Chanyeol hesitantly starts.

"Like a shit hole?"

The taller laughs, loud and explosive, and Baekhyun can almost see his pearly teeth and his eyes squinting. "I would've said 'messy', but that works."

~  
When the sun dies, and we're all drowned in the darkness,

Don't think I'd care much,

Because we'd be swimming in that dark sea together,

Defying gravity, just you and me,

And it won't matter how there's no more sunlight,

I won't even care that I can't see,

Because your body's warmth is enough for me.  
~  
\--

Baekhyun woke up feeling pleasantly drowsy. He kept his eyes shut and hummed, snuggling into the comforter. It was quiet, and Baekhyun liked that, since he always woke up when it was rush hour. He could hear his breath and the air conditioning. So it was working again. He felt comfortingly heavy, and he knew he hadn't slept this good since birth.

And then he became aware of another set of breathing. His eyes popped open and he was met with the most beautiful view, rivaling that of waterfalls and comet showers. Chanyeol was sleeping next to him and, well, they were so close he was wondering if they were combined.

Chanyeol's hair glowed, the light from the blinds making it seem like a halo, and his lips were in a pout. His eyelashes looked like feathers of a raven against the most delicate porcelain and his arm was underneath Baekhyun. Baekhyun was sleeping on his shoulder.

So he laid still, trying not to move in case it would wake the most beautiful human being on earth, and he just watched him. It could have been creepy but it was a once in a lifetime chance and Baekhyun was not about to pass it up.

And so he watched the rising and falling of his chest, and the veins on his hands. He looked at each individual strand of magic unicorn hair and wondered to himself how it would look with glitter poured in it. And Chanyeol's lips looked impossibly soft and somehow sweet, like a candied cherry. And even though he hated those, he thought to himself that he could never get tired of his lips.

Chanyeol's hands looked soft and he knew how warm they were, from last night, when they were drinking the beer Baekhyun had whisked away from his room. How he'd push and smack Baekhyun when he was laughing at something funny, or even the tiny, accidental touches, like their fingers touching when they handed the other something. Chanyeol's hand looked like it was good company, and Baekhyun's hand felt lonely.

Chanyeol's eyebrows furrowed and he sighed, opening his eyes. He looked down at Baekhyun and smiled, "Morning."

"Morning," Baekhyun's voice was quiet, "Sorry, I didn't want to wake you." He lifted his head and sat up, looking down at the other.

Chanyeol laughed, and because he just woke up, his voice was extra deep. It sent chills through Baekhyun. "I'll make breakfast," he said, sitting up as well, "You can sleep a bit more if you want to."

"I think I'll freshen up after you," Baekhyun rubbed his eyes.

"Alright." Chanyeol got up and went into the bathroom.

Baekhyun flopped back down, still feeling the warmth of their bodies in the mattress.

~  
I can feel the warmth of our bodies,

I think I'm living my dreams.

And I'm thinking you taste like cinnamon,

I'm thinking you taste so sweet.  
~  
\--

Baekhyun hadn't slept since.... well, since that night the power went out. But that didn't matter at the moment. He was on a deadline and like the master procrastinator he was, he's laying around the room on the verge of sobbing with his notebook clutched to his chest. He still had half the book to write in twelve hours.

He heard the front door unlock and a familiar voice call out, followed by familiar, soft footsteps. Chanyeol poked his freshly dyed cotton candy head in and snorted at Baekhyun's situation. The former didn't change his hair because the brunette expressed loving it so much.

"Why are you here," Baekhyun whined from the floor, "I can't be distracted." He watched Chanyeol push off the paper covering the bed and sit down. "I'm here to motivate you," Chanyeol sniffed.

"Did you bring ice cream?"

He hummed, "strawberry sorbet for you and another strawberry sorbet for me that you will eat from when you're done with yours."

"You make me sound fat," the older man grumbled. He saw Chanyeol pick up a piece of crumpled paper and tried to straighten it. He leaned over in a hurry and snatched it from him, "Don't read anything."

"Why not?" Chanyeol raised his eyebrows.

Because they're all about you, you piece of absolute shit. "It's a perfectionist thing. Those are unfinished and I don't like people reading them. Like how some people don't let people see unfinished drawings."

"If that's how it was for me, I'd be fucked," he rolled onto his stomach and watched Baekhyun think. And try not to cry.

"You know, you should maybe take a break."

Baekhyun groaned, "I can't afford to. I only have twelve hours."

"You just look so stressed, maybe relaxing a bit can help?" Chanyeol was kicking his feet back and forth.

Baekhyun puts his pencil down. "And do what?"

"Anything but what you're doing now," he stands up and pulls the older boy up too. He put on a random song from his playlist and started to dance.

Baekhyun laughed, "what are you doing?"

"Dancing," Chanyeol said, throwing his arms about.

"What is that?" Baekhyun started to double over in laughter.

"Orange justice, come on," Chanyeol pulled his arm, "dance."

"oh, no, it's so hot, I think I'll just watch," the older chuckled endearingly, not able to tear his eyes away from the giant flailing his arms around.

Chanyeol was so absorbed in rapping along to the music, he didn't notice Baekhyun sitting on his bed, watching him with some absolutely ridiculous heart eyes. Chanyeol's deep voice and the tattoo's on his arms made his rapping hot. Made the brunette feel like he could suck on the taller's tongue all day.

He felt his face getting hot at the thought. His hands came up to press against his cheeks, trying to cool them down. "This is supposed to be fluff."

"What?" Chanyeol had collapsed on the floor and was looking up at Baekhyun, panting.

"I didn't say anything," the latter said quickly, and sat down again. "Okay that was five minutes, let me try again."

Chanyeol laid back on the bed and watched Baekhyun concentrate, and eventually fell asleep. When Baekhyun looked up, he was snoring away. The older boy smiled to himself and got up to pull the duvet over the other. When he sat back down, his mind was racing with thoughts and ideas when he looked at Chanyeol's sleeping face.

~  
You fell asleep on my pile

Of crumpled papers,

And you don't know that all that's on there

Are words for you.  
~  
\--

"Cheers!"

Chanyeol and Baekhyun clink their fifth can of beer in celebration of the latter's book being published. Baekhyun started giggling uncontrollably one can ago, and it was obvious to the both of them he was a little more than tipsy.

"You think you should stop?" Chanyeol chuckled at the red tint in the other boys cheeks.

"Nope," Baekhyun said, popping the 'p', "I've been stressing for two weeks and I'm going to let," he shook his head, letting his hair fly wildly, "my," shake, "hair," shake, "down!"

"You've only stressed the final day actually, but alright."

Baekhyun ignored the remark. "Oh, I'm so happy!" The brunette laughs out loud, throwing his arms up. His hair was a mess and his face was glowing a crimson. He took a sip of his beer and hummed, when he recognized the song playing on the speakers.

"I love this song!"

"Who's it by?" Chanyeol was somewhere out of his peripheral vision and Baekhyun couldn't do two things at once when he's drunk. He turned up the volume. "Video Games?" he said, his tone sounding like a big fat "no duh."

Chanyeol raised his eyebrow, expecting him to finish. Baekhyun gasped, his jaw dropping in exaggeration, "by Lana Del Ray? The queen?!"

The cotton candy haired boy just shrugged, and shook his head.

The older boy shook his head, and started swaying and singing along, "I say you the bestest, lean in for a big kiss, put his favorite perfume on."

He got up and held his beer can up to his lips, like a microphone, "it's you, it's you, it's all for you. Everything I do, I tell you all the time," Baekhyun tripped and fell into Chanyeol's lap, his beer sloshing onto his fingers wrapped around the can and startling the taller. But he chuckled, his arms coming around to hold Baekhyun.

"They say that the world was built for two." His voice lulled to a murmur. Baekhyun looked into Chanyeol's eyes, and he didn't know if it was the intoxicated state he was in, or if it was real, but he could see galaxies and the deep blue. He saw the little things, like the velvet fuzz on a rose petal, and big things, like stars and lagoons.

"Kissing in the blue dark, playing pool and wild darts, video games," Baekhyun could feel shallow breathing on his lips, the warm hands on his hips were stroking circles, the velvety touch making the air around him hot.

"He holds me in his big arms, drunk and I am seeing stars, this is all I think of, honey," his words slurred together and his voice was loud in his ears, along with Chanyeol's quiet breathing.

"It's you, it's you, it's all for you," Baekhyun sang quietly like he was speaking directly to the younger, looking into his eyes, "Everything I do, I tell you all the time."

And then Baekhyun didn't know when it happened, but he felt a warm softness on his lips. After a hot second, he realized he was kissing Chanyeol. And then he further realized it was just a face bump, so he pressed himself closer, letting the alcohol take over.

Time became marmalade and the smell of the other boy's cologne and soap further intoxicated Baekhyun's senses. Their drunk lips moved slowly, as if hesitating.

Baekhyun pulled away and looked into the other's through half lidded eyes. "Only worth living if somebody is loving you."

"Baby, now you do."

Then Baekhyun's eyes drooped shut, and he felt himself leaning into the younger man's shoulder before he blacked out.

~  
Today, your eyes let me in

And I saw another world filled with

Neighborhoods in stars and streets made of diamond dust.

And I saw you and I sitting high

On a crystalline throne.

Your lips felt like the petals

Of the bouquet of roses

On our dining table made

Of silver and gold.  
~  
\--

It's been days since Baekhyun and Chanyeol kissed, and they haven't talked about it. Sure, Baekhyun never tried to bring it up, but Chanyeol didn't either, so Baekhyun is so smh at him. No he's not, he's the most precious thing in the world.

So Baekhyun just listens to the song they kissed to, feeling hot all over when he starts remembering everything so vividly, and then he turns it off and goes and takes a cold shower. The things he does for this man.

But they do talk and call, in fact, Chanyeol is there almost every night. It's like he moved in, but there's this suffocating sexual tension sometimes, and Baekhyun just wants to scream out "god, just fuck me already!" But Baekhyun IS NOT going to shoot his shot first, no, no, no. He's learned from previous situations.

Chanyeol said he'd come by the usual time, so that meant Baekhyun had a lot of time to think about The Kiss. And all the other questionable moments they've shared, which make him wonder if Chanyeol knew. He probably doesn't... right?

The doorbell snapped him out of his thoughts. Baekhyun got up to open the door, confused. If it was Chanyeol, the man would've just unlocked it and came right in, since he had the spare key. Ugh soulmates. He never rings the doorbell, so who could it be?

"Is there something wrong with your face, 'cause I know you're not looking disappointed to see me."

Baekhyun rolled his eyes and let Kyungsoo and Minseok in. "What's up with you, dude," Minseok flops on the clean couch, "things work out with your crush and you just forget about us."

"And look at this place," Kyungsoo poked a fuzzy mat with his foot, "I didn't even know you had a mat. Are you possessed?"

Baekhyun scoffed, "I didn't forget about you guys. I was busy with work. Did you guys even see my new published book?"

"Yeah, an hour late," Kyungsoo says, "since you never called us the minute after you published, like you always do."

"Perhaps I am growing up," the brunette flashed a close eyed smile.

Minseok tsked from the kitchen, "and yet the empty tubs of strawberry sorbet ice cream beg to differ."

"It's not bad to eat ice cream, assholes," Baekhyun huffed and pushed past Minseok to grab a tub from the fridge. He threw it on Kyungsoo's lap along with spoons. "If you're just jealous that someone's getting me ice cream, then here."

"We're just here to ask how things are with the cotton candy guy," Kyungsoo said, opening the tub and stabbing a spoon in, but to no avail. He scraped at the hard as rock sorbet. He gave up and set it down on the coffee table to let it soften.

Baekhyun giggled, a dreamy look seeping into his eyes. The kind with sparkles that come out of nowhere. "Great. 'M gonna marry him."

The eldest snorted, "oh my, and what about all the other ones you said you'd marry?"

"Well, he's different," Baekhyun sniffed and sat down next to the owl-y eyed boy. Said man sighed, leaning and resting his head on Baekhyun's shoulder; a rare show of affection from him. "We're just worried. Your poetry is kinda showing that you're head over heels for this guy."

This time, Baekhyun sighed. "I know. But I can't help it? He really feels different, you guys."

"Okay, that's okay," Minseok sat down on the other side of the brunette, "and we're going to be here if things go bad."

"Thanks guys." Baekhyun loved moments like this. Times where he felt soft and melty with people that he loves, and ones that love him.

"And I can beat him up if he hurts you," Kyungsoo hummed.

"Highly doubt it, you reach his knees."

Suddenly the door unlocked and the three men turned to see who it was, although one already knew.

Chanyeol walked in and kicked off his shoes, not noticing the warm and fuzzy atmosphere in the room. But then he looked up and froze, when he saw the three huddled on the couch. "Is this a bad time?"

"Uh, no, it's fine," Minseok shot Baekhyun a look, who disregarded it and stood up to pull the tallest in. Chanyeol awkwardly shuffled in and looked around the room as if worried that more short people will jump out and attack him.

"God, we won't bite you," Kyungsoo sighed, inviting him to sit on the couch with them, "although someone might."

Baekhyun glared at him while Minseok just silently snorted. Really, Baekhyun was just lucky Chanyeol didn't hear it. Or pretended not to. Ugh, another thing to put on the Questionable Moments list.

"Sorry, if I knew you guys would be here I would've come tomorrow or something-"

"Don't worry about it," the eldest waved him off, "we're rude so we don't call him first. Anyway, it looks like you have the key, hm?"

Chanyeol and Baekhyun's faces blew up into the reddest shade of red. Crimson. Or burgandy? No, burgandy is more purple. Maroon! "Y-yeah, I come by sometimes so Baek just gave me a spare."

"Oh?" Kyungsoo was smirking, "Sometimes?"

"Oh?" Minseok copied, "Baek?"

"Shut up," the brunette elbowed them. Chanyeol seemed to have shrunk into himself, the red on his face complimenting his still pink and blue hair.

Minseok turned the TV on and picked a movie. A horror movie. Like the psychopath he was.

While the three of them watched the movie, Baekhyun watched Chanyeol. He saw how he was getting more comfortable with his friends as the movie went on, and jumped every time a jumpscare popped up. And then he put a hand on his heart and laughed along with Kyungsoo and Minseok.

Kyungsoo and Minseok were skeptical about him liking Chanyeol, but right now, they looked like they liked him. And that relieved Baekhyun so much.

In the past, most of the boys he liked were disapproved of by both of them, either because of their reputation or manners. And every time, the relationships ended badly, or didn't even start at all. But they seemed comfortable with Chanyeol, so Baekhyun felt like this could work.

~  
You're always at my place,

And I can't seem to remember a time you weren't.

But then again,

They tell me I fall too fast.  
~  
\--

"We don't have to go."

Baekhyun was whining as Chanyeol dragged him to the grocery store nearby. He said Baekhyun didn't have anything in his fridge, and he should stop being a hermit. And he would argue that there is nothing wrong with being a hermit, because home is a comfortable and happy place.

"We do," Chanyeol had an arm around the other's shoulder, mostly to keep him from running away. "You need to get out more. Look at how pale you are."

"Some people like pale," the brunette mumbled, to which the taller snorted. When they got there, the doors slid open and they got blasted with grocery store AC. Chanyeol pulled a cart and Baekhyun went in in front of him. His annoyance magically disappeared as he rushed to the strawberries first. "Look at them," he whispered, "they're beautiful."

"See," Chanyeol smiled, watching him put the box in the cart, "told you this is a good idea."

So it went on like that, Chanyeol getting the important things, like milk and eggs, and Baekhyun got the things he wanted, like mochi and cinnamon buns and chocolate chips. Baekhyun even got iced tea for Chanyeol, to which the latter chuckled at.

"Look at that, isn't that your book?" Chanyeol was pointing at the poetry book Baekhyun worked so hard to write a few weeks ago. Baekhyun panicked, because opening that was like opening Pandora's Box. Baekhyun chuckled, and although he tried not to, nervously. "Yeah. Wow look, the grocery store is carrying it."

"Wanna buy it?" Chanyeol asked, about to step toward the stand, until the shorter grabbed his arm. "What for? I already know what's in it. I mean, I wrote it," he continued laughing nervously, mentally beating himself up. And even in his brain, he couldn't throw a punch for shit.

Chanyeol looked at him weird and then shrugged. "So what else do we need?"

"I think I got everything. Go find something, I'll pay," Baekhyun nodded towards the aisles.

Chanyeol went off into an aisle and the shorter into another. He looked through the baking aisle, thinking it would be nice to make something after so long. He found the brown sugar and vanilla extract, and tossed them into the cart. He started looking for cocoa powder but couldn't find it. He skimmed through the racks over and over, but nothing.

And then he looked up. And there it was, in all of its glory. Taunting him. "Look at me, Baekhyun," it said in its high pitched, evil voice (Baekhyun didn't know how cocoa powder sounded, but that's how he thought it would if it talked), "I'm too tall for you to get. Now you have to go and ask your crush to get me down."

Baekhyun scoffed at it and reached up on his tippy toes, stretching so far he felt like his arm would rip off. He huffed and looked back up at it, sneering at it's smug face. He reached up again, holding his breath and stepping so high on his toes, he'd accomplished some stupid sixteen year old girls dream of becoming a ballerina.

He felt a warmth behind him first, before the solid body pressing up behind him. He stopped reaching up and turned around in his spot, wincing internally at the cliche bitch who wrote this.

Chanyeol plucked the box from the shelf like it was easy, and Baekhyun would argue it was not. He handed Baekhyun the box, "you could've just asked."

"It was making fun of me. So no, I couldn't have." Baekhyun didn't even care how stupid his response sounded, he was too aware of the distance between them. And he thought it might have been the distance that made him feel butterflies, but it also could have been the look on Chanyeol's face.

The taller looked at him like he wasn't surprised, like it was normal. Like they've been dating since forever and one of them is gonna propose soon because they already got their parents blessings.

At the sight of the fondness and endearment in Chanyeol's eyes, Baekhyun felt a small smile spread on his lips, no matter how he tried to fight it. Chanyeol glanced at his smile, and an amused one of his own formed.

"Is something funny?"

Baekhyun laughed and pushed the taller gently. He slipped out of the tight space he was in and placed the cocoa powder in the cart, smile still on his lips. He pushed the cart away to the register, not bothering to look back to see the look on Chanyeol's face.

~  
Yesterday, I wanted to kiss you every chance I got,

Because I was afraid I'd never be able to if I missed those chances.

But today I'm not so worried,

And I'll take my time,

Because I'm starting to doubt you'll go anywhere.  
~  
\--

Baekhyun thought often. It was a given, since he was a poet, an artist. And that being said, it was also given that his thoughts are sometimes not-so-happy.

Some days he thought about his past, about friends he left behind, about relationships that burned and withered, and the words left unsaid.

Some days he thought about his future, and even though the stressful part of adolescence had passed, there were a new set of worries he had to embrace. He thought about his work, how he could be relevant for only so long. And he thought of his family, his friends, what they'd become and where they'd be when he grows older.

And sometimes Baekhyun thought about himself. He thought about what a hopeless romantic like him would end up like. He wondered whether this habit of attachment would be the death of him. Because growing older meant meeting new people. And sometimes Baekhyun wondered how much more hurt he could take.

It's his fault of course, he tells himself. Maybe if he was a little less friendly, little less hungry for attention, he wouldn't be left disappointed. And maybe now, he wouldn't be so hoplelessly pining on Chanyeol.

This isn't because of Chanyeol. Thoughts have a way of jumping and leaping and connecting dots, and lately, Baekhyun has found that when he's finished connecting them, they become Chanyeol's name.

And so Baekhyun is at his window, and it's conveniently raining. Maybe he was pushed into this mood because of the rain. He loved it, but it always made him thinky.

The rain could make him come up with the most ridiculous conclusions, like convincing himself that Bounty is better than Almond Joy, just because there's more coconut. And that Chanyeol doesn't like him, even though it seemed like he might have the teensy tinsiest bit of affection towards him.

But what if he didn't want to talk about the kiss because he didn't remember it? Or worse, he was ashamed? Regretted it? What if it disgusted him? The thought pulled at Baekhyuns heart, and his stomach rolled unpleasantly.

What if Chanyeol thought they were just friends? What if he thought they were bros, with the no homo? That would cancel it out, no questions asked. It's a universal law.

And what if when Baekhyun finally gathers his courage to tell him the truth, what if he rejects him? What if he tells him he likes him as a friend, or he likes someone else- What if he laughs in his face?

Baekhyun's eyes felt prickly, and he blinked. He felt tears forming faster and they rolled down his face. He was starting to fog up the window. The rain must be satisfied, making him cry like this.

Then he heard a buzz from his bed, and he turned to look at his phone lighting up. With a broken sigh, he got up heavily from his little chair in the corner he barely even used.

The text was from Chanyeol. Baekhyun felt his lip quiver, but he tapped on the notification anyway.

"I got you something," it read. Baekhyun waited when he saw the dots in the corner, meaning Chanyeol was still sending it.

Then, a picture came up. A strawberry plush with pink, cartoonish blush and big, shiny eyes that kind of reminded Baekhyun of the other boy's.

And with that one text, Baekhyun felt like the sky had cleared and the birds were chirping. He felt his chest grow warm and couldn't help the laugh that escaped him.

The rain couldn't make him cry, not this time.

~  
Tears are meant to dry,

But what about when there are too many to?

They will collect and form a pathway,

A river,

That will lead me right to you.  
~  
\--

He was gonna do it.

Boy was gonna ask the motherfucker out.

Oh my god, no he won't he'll get rejected and then Chanyeol is gonna hate him and Baekhyun will become a school shooter-

No. Baekhyun will do it. Baekhyun is going to stomp his ass down there, grab Chanyeol by the collar, push him up against the wall and say "GO THE FUCK OUT WITH ME."

So Baekhyun shoves on his shoes and stomps down the stairs. Extra loud, because he's really close to chickening out. And he stopped before Chanyeol's parlor door, took a deep breath and pushed it open. "Ch-"

He stopped.

There was a girl. A female. With these eyeballs and lips and allat shit. And she was smiling at Chanyeol. And Chanyeol was smiling back.

Baekhyun scowled. Disgusting.

Chanyeol turned back at the sound of the door opening and saw Baekhyun. "Baek! Hey, sit down for a minute."

Baekhyun sat down on a spinny chair that Chanyeol normally sits at. He spun once on it, looking at the girl all the while to assert his dominance. Gotta show her who's boss around here.

She didn't really seem to notice. But that's because she was scared of his manly presence, Baekhyun told himself.

"This is Hye Rin," Chanyeol said to him, or presumably to him because he was cleaning something, but he better had been saying it to him. "She wants a tongue piercing."

"Wow, that's so cool." It was disgusting. Getting that up close and shit and you haven't even been on a date? B i t c h.

"Ah, I'm so nervous," Hye Bitch giggled and batted her stupid and fake eyelashes. It couldn't be possible to have such thick and long eyelashes. Baekhyun knows because... well, he just knows.

Chanyeol chuckled, and it would've been something that would make Baekhyun drop down onto his knees if it weren't meant for her. "I'm not going to lie, it'll hurt, but just for a little bit," he pulled his chair in front of her.

Baekhyun watched as she took a deep breath and stuck out her tongue. And then she put it back in and clamped her hands over her mouth. "I'm nervous," she said, while looking up at Chanyeol with big, fat, shiny eyes. Gross.

Chanyeol, being the patient, sweet man he was, smiled at her. "Here," he held out his open hand, "you can squeeze my hand."

Baekhyun almost screamed and grabbed the needle and pierced her eyeball. Chanyeol ain't gon' date no chick with a needle in her eye. But he didn't. Because he was nice, even when someone was trying to steal his mans.

So he watched while she smiled shyly and put her hand in his. They didn't fit, because Chanyeol's were big and warm and soft and smelled good, and her's were small and not like Baekhyun's >:(.

And he watched as she stuck her tongue out again, and Chanyeol held it still with forceps. Baekhyun scowled in disgust unconsciously. And then Chanyeol pushed the needle through her tongue, but the whole time, all Baekhyun could watch were both of their hands, clasped so hard, her knuckles were turning white.

He sat there, staring at the floor, his lips still twisted in a frown. He just wanted her to leave. He heard her giggle.

"So um, thank you. An um, you wanna grab a drink sometime.. or something?"

Baekhyun's head snapped up so fast at her stupid, now lispy voice. She was looking at him with a shy smile and he couldn't see Chanyeol, with his back to him.

And Baekhyun felt his eyes welling up when he looked at her eager, pure eyes look up at Chanyeol. And no matter how much he tried to convince himself she wasn't pretty, that she was an evil mastermind, responsible for a million heartbreaks, he knew it wasn't so.

She was pretty. It was obvious. She was tiny, cute, with eyes so round and innocent, she just emitted light. And with someone this pretty in front of them...

The brunette abruptly stood up, the chair rolling backwards at the momentum, and just walked out. He couldn't watch.

He ran up the stairs and to his room, flopping onto his couch. He buried his face in the blankets from last night when Chanyeol slept over. They smelled like him. Baekhyun felt tears wet the fabric.

It was his fault, he told himself. His friends told him over and over to be careful but he just let himself go. And it happened again. Maybe he should have listened to them. Maybe he should have just left Chanyeol alone.

Between his sniffles and the blood rushing to his head, Baekhyun heard knocks on his door. He quieted down, hoping whoever it was would think no one was home. And then he heard the door unlock.

"Baek?" He heard the soft voice he's grown to love, and then he felt a weight sink down the couch.

The older boy was silent. He didn't even try to sniffle. "Baekkie, what happened?" He felt Chanyeol's warm hand on his thigh, and more tears started to pour helplessly. He tried to hold back a whimper, but it slipped.

That was enough for Chanyeol to become completely worried. "Baekhyun, are you crying?" He felt Chanyeol trying to pull him up by the arm, and he complied, pushing himself up.

"Baek, what happened?" Chanyeol tried to face him, but Baekhyun turned his face away, hiding his eyes behind his hair. "Please, Baek. What's wrong?"

The brunette wiped his tears away and cleared his throat. He looked up to face Chanyeol and shook his head, " I'm alright. So, did you say yes?"

Chanyeol looked at him, confused. His eyes were softer and the color in his hair looked faded. Baekhyun shrugged, "you know, the girl. Hye Rin, or... whatever."

"I-" Chanyeol shook his head, "no, I didn't. Why were you crying?"

Baekhyun just stared at his hands. He was relieved. But it made him wonder if he really should be crushing on Chanyeol. Would he be able to handle this?

"Baekhyun," Chanyeol's voice came out firm, but soft, "what's going on?"

The former sighed. Maybe just coming out with it would put a stop to... whatever this was. "I was going to ask you out."

It was silent. "Wait, what?"

He could almost feel the tears getting ready to build up again, a swell in his throat. Baekhyun kept watching his hands, afraid to see the look in Chanyeol's eyes. But then the younger grabbed them and he was forced to shift his gaze. "So you ran out because Hye Rin did? And what did you think, that I was gonna say yes?"

He pursed his lips, not even looking at his hands clasped in Chanyeol's. "Baekhyun," the latter was shaking his hands and a little chuckle escaped as well, "what made you think I like her? Or girls?"

Baekhyun finally sighed, "she looked pretty."

Chanyeol laughed out loud, which made Baekhyun look up at him. "What's funny?"

He just continued to laugh and Baekhyun smacked him defensively, "hey, what's fucking funny?!" Chanyeol tried to collect himself, but failed, leaning on Baekhyun and laughing into his shoulder.

He finally calmed down, "I don't even like girls." He looked at Baekhyun and chuckled, while the other rolled his eyes. Baekhyun mumbled, "How was I supposed to know?"

"We kissed, Baek. I thought it was obvious?"

Baekhyun pulled his hands away from Chanyeol and crossed his arms, "so are you going to go out with me or do you not like guys either?"

"I do like guys," Chanyeol grabbed the brunette's hands again. Baekhyun glanced into his eyes finally, and saw a tenderness he's been wanting his whole life. But it still scared him.

"So... would you?"

Chanyeol smiled and leaned close, "yeah, lets date." Baekhyun wanted to sigh, to let go of all the worries he had a few minutes ago, but he didn't know if he was out of the woods yet. And Chanyeol saw it.

"Baek," he scooted closer, "I like you. You could put anyone in front of me, and that wouldn't change." Baekhyun just watched.

"And I know I'm no poet, but you are, and you wrote a whole book about me-"

"What?" the shorter's eyes were wide and his face was getting hot. He was horrified.

"That's not the point," Chanyeol waved it off, "I read it, and it was cute-"

"Wait, wait," Baekhyun cut him off, face growing stiflingly hot, "what do you mean you read it?"

"I've known how to read for a while now, Baek," he said, rolling his eyes playfully. He squeezed the other man's hand. "Just let me talk."

So Baekhyun swallowed the lump in his throat and huffed, the temperature in the room not ceasing whatsoever.

"I read it," he said again, "and every page made me realize how amazing you are, how you're strong enough to be vulnerable to the whole world, how even though you could have anything you wanted, you choose to work for it. And you could have anyone you wanted, but you chose me."

Baekhyun picked at the hem of his sleeves, avoiding eye contact. "That sounded pretty poetic to me."

Chanyeol laughed. "And I'm sorry about earlier, okay? I wouldn't do anything to hurt you. I don't want to."

Baekhyun finally looked up at him. The sun had long set and none of the lights were on, but Chanyeol's eyes were glimmering, and his breath was soft and he could hear it, consistent, like the beat of a heart.

Baekhyun felt fuzzy all over. His heart was fuzzy, his face was fuzzy with warmth, and he felt like the collection of plush blankets he had in his closet. He liked to pull those out sometimes when he was feeling sad, and spread them all on his bed and roll around in them. It felt like a cloud.

Time felt like it was frozen, only because none of them said anything, just stared at each other in the darkness. But Baekhyun wanted to kiss him, to finally touch him now that he's not scared, not worried anymore about getting hurt. And Chanyeol might as well be his soulmate, because he beat him to it.

The taller leaned closer, and cupped Baekhyun's face with his big, warm hand so gently, he instantly melted. Their lips pressed slowly, and Baekhyun felt the pace numb his mind. Each time they pulled back, a light smack sounded out in the silent room, but the kiss went on, until their minds went hazy from the lack of oxygen and both were reduced to a puddle of emotions.

They pulled back and Baekhyun finally let himself breathe, although he couldn't keep his hands off the other. But that didn't seem to be a problem, because Chanyeol was in the same situation. 

Chanyeol spoke first. "Hope that lived up to your expectations," he said, still panting quietly. "Or else the next book is gonna be about someone else, isn't it?"

Baekhyun punched his chest weakly when Chanyeol laughed. "I'll have to break up with you as soon as I run out of inspiration."

"Well then," Chanyeol pecked his lips again, "I'll make sure to never let that happen."

~  
He said,

"I like you

Because even though you could have anything you wanted,

You choose to work for it,

And even though you could have anyone you wanted,

You chose me."  
~  
\--


End file.
